The Nano Dimension in Science Fiction - NANORA releases a brochure that’s out of the ordinary

The new NANORA publication“Nanotech Ideas in Science-Fiction Literature” fosters new ways of thinking that are a necessary precondition for true innovation.

With the start of the new year NANORA has fulfilled a promise given to members of the EU High Level Group on Nanosciences, Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials at a networking lunch on 15 October 2014:the network has issued a brochure that provides a completely new source of inspiration for nanotech innovation.

The appetite for this publication was whetted during the lunch, offered at the Representation of the State of Hessen to the EU, by master storyteller Thomas Le Blanc, who gave a captivating presentation on nanotech ideas in science-fiction literature.

Mr. Le Blanc founded and operates the “Fantastic Library Wetzlar” in Hessen, the largest public library worldwide specializing in works of science fiction and fantasy that houses with roughly 250,000 volumes. Realizing that his expertise is of value not only to librarians and literary scholars, he has built a well-respected and sought-for consulting business. In his consultant capacity he advises companies both large and small on how to enrich their R&D activities by looking at the technological innovations described in science fiction.

NANORA lead partner HMWEVL (Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport and Regional Development, State of Hessen) had already taken the opportunity to tap Mr. Le Blanc’s expertise for the issuing of a German brochure on nanotech scenarios in science fiction published as part of the Hessen-Nanotech series of publications earlier in 2014. After the German edition received enthusiastic feedback the Nano Regions Alliance decided to have the brochure translated into English and make it available to a wider European audience.

Now the nano-based scenarios – tumour-hunting by tiny submarine, nanomachines assembling molecular structures, the designing of improved human bodies by DNA manipulation, and more are accessible on the NANORA website and paper copies of the brochure are sent to interested parties upon request.

“Of course,” Tarek Al-Wazir, Minister of Economics, Energy, Transport and Regional Development of the State of Hessen, emphasized, “science-fiction literature does not offer any ready-made blueprints. Rather, its strength lies in sparking the imagination of its readers and thus fostering new ways of thinking that are a necessary precondition for true innovation.” And that is no small achievement.

NANORA, the Nano Regions Alliance, is a network of public policy institutions, associations, clusters and research and technology centres from currently eight European regions, based on a project funded by the European Union through the INTERREG IVB NWE Programme.

The Alliance aims at improving framework conditions and support infrastructures for nanotechnology stakeholders. It supports nanotechnology SMEs and research institutions with matchmaking activities based on a unique transnational database of nano players, advice on suitable funding opportunities, and the organisation of joint trade missions to exciting nanotechnology market.

Contact:

Dr. Ulrike Niedner-Kalthoff

IV 7-B, KETs and Resource Efficiency Unit

Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport and Regional Development, State of Hessen

INTERREG IVb NWE is a financial instrument of the European Union's Cohesion Policy. It funds projects which support transnational cooperation. The aim is to find innovative ways to make the most of territorial assets and tackle shared problems of Member States, regions and other authorities.